


Bonding over Beer and Non Friends

by PencilSkeletons



Category: HLVRAI - Fandom, Half Life VR But The AI Is Self Aware
Genre: Beer, Drinking, Gen, Other characters mentioned - Freeform, apologies for regular half life fans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:27:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26711443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PencilSkeletons/pseuds/PencilSkeletons
Summary: Gordon Freeman goes out for a drink at the bar, where he meets someone he never thought he'd see again.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 36





	Bonding over Beer and Non Friends

Gordon wasn’t a regular drinker, mind you. He’s actually been cutting down on the alcohol ever since he had his son. But there were some days where he just felt the need to wallow out his misery with a couple of beers, and luckily for him the nearest bar was just a block away from his apartment complex. He had asked his neighbor if she could watch his son for a bit. She was a sweet old lady who was always happy to look after the little rascal and always turned him down when he insisted on paying her back.

Making his way in, Gordon slumped down on one of the bar stools as the familiar bartender greeted him. They asked what he wanted, and he responded with the usual pint of lager. Nothing too fancy, he thought. Just wanted a nice drink after all the horrible, horrible things that happened at Black Mesa. Speaking of, he remembered one of the guards there offering to buy him a beer after work. Of course, it was on the same day as the Resonance Cascade, so Gordon doubted that guard was still alive. What was his name again? Something starting with a B?

No, the last thing he wanted to think about was guards whose names start with B. Though he already knew it wasn’t Benrey, because if it was him, he would find a way to make it weird or act like he never set the offer on the table in the first place. But Benrey was dead, hopefully for real this time. It was the one thing Gordon hoped was true. The one thing Gordon hoped the universe would be on his side for. The bartender returned with his drink, and Gordon happily took it. He was tired of having to check his back to make sure no one else was there. The late night bathroom breaks where he would have to turn on every light in his apartment for fear of someone jumping him in the dark. The constant vivid nightmares of Black Mesa and Xen that always ended in Benrey killing him. Gordon wanted to not have to worry about that for once as he took his first sip.

The bartender had asked if he wanted another one before he was even halfway done his first. Fuck yeah he wanted another. Again, Gordon wasn’t a heavy drinker, or even a lightweight for that matter. The most he was going to have was maybe three beers, four if he was really feeling it, but it wasn’t likely to happen. When the bartender returned with a second glass, someone had taken the seat to Gordon’s right and ordered. The bartender nodded and left. Gordon hadn’t heard what the other person wanted, but he definitely heard the voice, making his stomach drop. No... why was he here?

Cautiously, Gordon took a glance over to the mystery customer. It was... not who he thought. Instead of seeing who he thought was going to be Benrey in his usual blue guard outfit, it was some big looking guy in a red jacket. Huh? Did Gordon just mishear? Was the lager already starting to take effect? The man noticed Gordon’s starting and turned to face him, which was when both of them looked at each other in surprise.

“What are you doing here?” the man asked dully, yet clearly puzzled. Nope, Gordon didn’t mishear, that was what he sounded like. Luckily, it wasn’t Benrey in a new form, but instead someone else he never thought he would see again. It was the last remaining member of the U.S. Military, Forzen. He forgot how similar the two sounded.

“I should be asking you that,” Gordon answered coldly. He finished his first glass and was ready to move on to the second, to which the bartender came back with Forzen’s beer. They then left to find a different customer, already having dealt with situations similar to this current one to know to just back off.

“Well I asked you first, so you have to answer.”

“I don’t owe you anything. You tried to get me killed and then attempted to kill my friend's dog.”

Forzen furrowed his brow more than it already was. “Not like I wanted to. I was just doing my job, but go off.”

Gordon could almost scoff. “What part of your job involved Irate Gamer being a ripoff of AVGN?”

“He isn’t!” Forzen shouted. He took a quick sip of his drink, recoiling at the sting and muttering something under his breath in French. “But... fine, I admit I was trying to get something out of it. Helps when a group of rogue scientists and a space cop wipe down the entire military.”

“Well it’s because they were trying to kill us first!”

“Shouldn’t have made HECU go after you then, how ‘bout?”

“I...” Gordon almost shouts back when he pauses. What the hell was he doing? Yelling at some guy that shouldn’t even matter to him. He came here to forget the bullshit of Black Mesa, not start drama over it. Gordon took a look around the bar. No one was staring at the two, not yet at least, and the bartender was now distracting themselves by cleaning an empty glass, because what bartender didn’t do that? Gordon sighed, took his first sip of his second beer, and looked back at Forzen.

“You want to know why I’m here? I’m here just to have a drink and forget about Black Mesa. You probably came here just to have a drink, too. I don’t want to start a fight, because honestly at this point I’m just tired of fighting in general. Let’s just be civil and agree not to start anything tonight.” Gordon holds out a hand. “Truce?”

Forzen looked at the hand, back at Gordon, then back at the hand. Gordon couldn’t tell what the soldier was thinking, as despite the brow he had a mostly neutral look to him. Then before he knew it, Forzen spit in his hand and shook Gordon’s. He cringed at the slimy contact, and wiped his hand on his jeans once it was over. Forzen just chuckled.

“Consider yourself truced, Freeman.” Forzen went back to attempting to finish his beer, while Gordon went back to finishing his second one. Gordon didn’t like the silence, it was too tense. Even if he was with someone he didn’t like, Gordon felt the need to talk with whoever would listen to him rising.

“So... how have you been?” Gordon asked, cringing again at how awkward he sounded.

“Could be better,” Forzen answered blankly. “Actually sort of glad there’s no more military, cause now I can focus on my YouTube career.”

Now Gordon was curious. “You have a YouTube channel?”

Forzen turned back to Gordon, a small smile plastered across his face. Huh, Gordon didn’t think he’d see Forzen look genuinely happy. Even when he was boasting about how he “killed” Sunkist, he didn’t seem as happy. “Yeah! I started it back in high school, but never got to post much on it because stupid military stuff got in the way. Now I’ve been filming my own game reviews for only cool games. My channel name’s PissedOffGamer. Get it, cause pog.”

Gordon couldn’t help but chuckle. Maybe it was the alcohol filtering things, but Gordon didn’t remember Forzen being not as annoying. “Honestly, I can’t see you being a game reviewer.”

“Well I can be! My parents wanted me to be part of the military, even if we aren’t from the US!”

Gordon remembers Forzen speaking something in French during the whole “Sunkist Hostage Standoff Situation”, as he liked to call it. He was pretty sure that Forzen was Canadian, though he didn’t have enough sober thought process to ask. They were in Seattle, Washington right now, which was also Gordon’s birth state, and Canada was only a quick trip up north. So instead of asking, Gordon responded with, “Can’t wait to hear your rumors then, definitely not a ripoff of IrateGamer.”

Forzen shoots Gordon a rather smug looking look. “Well, what about you then? Think your life’s better than the guy who’s about to get ten subscribers?”

Ten whole subscribers. Wow, look at Mister Popular over here. “Well... it’s nothing to brag about, but I was finally able to come back to Washington. Got full custody of my son recently as well. His name’s Joshua. And... that’s it.” Gordon decided not to bring up wanting to become a Twitch Streamer, as he already knew how Forzen would react to that.

Forzen chuckled. “Woah, didn’t know I was dealing with a dilf over here.”

Third time cringing that night. Must be a new record. “Please don’t call me that.”

“I’m not, the ale is.” Forzen takes another sip to prove his point.

“You gonna be as weird as Benrey? You two already sound alike, it’s just that you’re less annoying and not a constant bother, even when you’re supposed to be dead.” It’s as if the bar conveniently decided to go silent right at that moment. Gordon didn’t mean to say what he did, but it ended up spilling. Forzen almost looks concerned for the former scientist, which he doesn’t like to see. Can’t he just go back to looking constantly pissed off?

“So he really is... Benrey’s...”

Oh. Of course he wouldn’t know that. No one knows what happened on Xen aside from those who were there (also Tommy’s dad, but that guy seemed to know everything that's happening).

“I assume so. No, I fucking hope so. For once, I just want to believe it’s true. But I’m afraid that one day, I’ll just wake up and he’ll be at my doorstep with his same old spiel. Acting like nothing has changed.” He pauses, noting how Forzen's no longer looking at him.

“Sorry, don’t mean to keep taking crap. I know you were friends-”

“So what? Just because we were friends that doesn't mean I still like him. Benrey was an ass anyways.” The former soldier took an extra long sip of his beer then slammed his glass back down on the table. “We were such good friends. Liked to play games a lot. Especially racing games. Kept trying to beat the staff ghosts, never could though. Then we grew up and just... started drifting.”

“That... that sucks, man.” Gordon wasn’t sure how to respond to that. Losing friends really sucks, even if that friend was someone like Benrey. You think you two will always remain friends, then BAM. Friendship over. Doesn’t help when it turns out that your former friend wasn’t actually that nice of a person.

“Yeah, I guess it does. I think last I saw him, he was talking about how he had better, cooler friends than me. Think he brought you up as well. Are you two even friends? Or, were?”

“Fuck no,” Gordon answered right away, without a second of doubt. “Benrey kept insisting we were friends, but I never met the guy before that day! I don’t know what was going through his head, but the amount of stuff he believes is true never ceases to amaze me.” A thought enters Gordon’s mind. “Hey, did Benrey ever mention anything about his other friends when you two were still being nice?”

Forzen lifts a hand to his chin, looking deep in thought. “Hmm... I don’t know. But I’m forgetful so I wouldn’t know if he did or not. I forget my own name sometimes!”

Was that why Forzen didn’t give him an answer back at Black Mesa? “Do you remember it now though?”

“Of course I do! It’s a name I already told you so I’m not going to repeat myself.

“Forzen.”

“Thank you. I mean- good you remembered.”

Gordon can’t help the laugh that escapes him. It’s the first time in a while he felt genuine joy. Forzen was soon laughing along as well. Two grown men, both slightly drunk, laughing at the awkwardness and ridiculousness of everything.

That third pint never came around as Gordon decided to check out around the same time Forzen did. The bartender handed both men their bills, and Forzen decided to pay for both of them.

“You don’t have to do this for me,” Gordon argued.

“Of course I do,” Forzen argued back. “That just means you have to pay next time we go out drinking.” He pauses. “I mean, if you want there to be a next time. Wanting to extend the truce and all that? If... if that’s okay with you.”

Well, did Gordon want to hang out with Forzen again. His mind kept telling him yes, but a part of him wondered how much of it was the alcohol making decision for him. But you know what, Gordon decided that Forzen was cool now. “Of course, if you want too, that is. You know what they say, keep your friends close and your enemies closer and all that.”

“Are we enemies anymore?” Forzen asked. “I mean, Team Nice is cool and all, but not so much when you're the only member...”

Gordon noticed the uncomfortable expression on Forzen’s face. “Are you asking if you can join the Science Team.”

“Well actually I was wondering if you wanted to join Team Nice, but- but you aren’t really Team Nice worthy. Don’t really look like a Science Team type either.”

Gordon couldn’t help but punch Forzen in the arm, though not too hard. “Excuse you, I’m a theoretical physicist. I’d say that’s all the qualifications I need. Plus, Benrey was part of the Science Team before he turned on us.”

Forzen snickers. “I can understand him joining, but you? What, couldn’t become a practical physicist?”

Gordon sputters. “T-That’s not even a thing!”

“Of course it is. They’re the guys that do the real science.”

“Do you even know what a theoretical physicist is?”

“Do you?”

“I am one!”

“Theoretically or actually?”

The two burst out laughing once more. It was all so silly, yet familiar at the same time.

“But seriously,” Forzen asked. “Wanna maybe continue being... hanging out and such? We cool?”

“Yeah, Forzen,” Gordon answered. “We’re cool.”

Forzen smiled. “Sweet! Well... hold on!” Forzen stood up and pulled a pen out of his pocket. He took Gordon’s bill and scribbled down some numbers on it before shoving the paper back in the other man’s hands. “My number. Text me later, okay?”

Gordon looked down at the paper, then back to Forzen as he neatly shoved the bill into his pocket. “Sure thing, Forzen.” Gordon got off the stool as well, stretching his arms a bit. “Well, don’t want to keep Joshua or my neighbor waiting. Hopefully she brought him to bed. See you... later, I guess.”

Forzen nodded. “Yeah, see you later, uh... Freeman, right?”

“You can just call me Gordon.”

“Of course. See you, Gordon.”

And with that, the two walked out of the bar and went along their separate ways, both walking in the opposite direction of each other. Gordon didn’t expect that he would be walking out with a new friend, maybe? But he didn’t regret it, and hopefully future Gordon wouldn’t regret it either. Also that he would remember to text Forzen back. Though one thought lingered in his head as he made his way back to his apartment, something he knew he would be worrying about in the morning.

That being, how would the Science Team react to this?

**Author's Note:**

> It's 3am so any mistakes I make in this future me will have to deal with.  
> Also I know nothing about types of beer as I'm not old enough to drink yet. Had to look up beer on Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia that anyone can edit.
> 
> I wanted to try and write some nice Gordon and Forzen bonding moments.


End file.
